Coaching the Mental Game of Softball

It's not magic. But it sure does feel like it when everything clicks and your girls play FEARLESSLY. If you've followed this podcast for a while, you know alicia has a knack for getting her girls to compete hard and not give up. AND. Her girls still clench up when the pressure is on. They're human! So wanna hear how the Mattawan girls dealt with post-season pressure? Listen in now!

You know the line (and if you don't, you're on the bench until you watch A League of Their Own!). But as funny as that scene was, we do NOT live in that world anymore. Not only IS there crying in softball - there's a lot of it. And not just the sensitive athletes or the "mentally weak" ones. Even the toughest, most talented athletes tear up nowadays. Listen in to today's episode for a couple of reasons why. And why it's actually a gift to us as coaches.

Every coach goes into a season with a vision of what they want this team to do this year. Now imagine if your girls could buy into that vision immediately AND perform hot out of the gate? Sound like a long shot? Not for this culture veteran! In today's episode, Alicia shares the first part of her high school season: what they worked on, how they performed, and some crucial insights from her 20+ years of experience. You're gonna want to listen to all three parts of this one... let's do it!

Have you ever had every intention of pushing something off for just a little bit... and then a million things happened and before you knew it is seems like FOREVER had passed? of course you have! You're a coach! Which is why we graciously thank you for your patience in this almost year hiatus. We were ALWAYS planning on getting back on the mic, but y'know... life. AND! If you don't follow us on social, the big reason for the brake is I'm back in coaching! You are listening to the new head softball coach and associate AD at LaGrange College. It's seriously a dream gig for me guys. My boss is amazing, the entire department and school are so welcoming and supportive. Guys. Even the PRESIDENT of the college actually knows me AND my girls! And then there's my girls. Wow am I grateful for my predecessor recruiting amazing humans. They shared what they wanted out of the season, they put in the work... many went above and beyond (ahem my haven't-pitched-since-high-school pitchers who stepped up!)... And even though we did not get the outcomes we wanted, it truly was a great season with great people. And I have to be honest here. It might not have been so great for me had I not had Mental Sweet Spot, Alicia and our Sweet Spotters the past 4 years. I have learned SO much and GROWN tremendously. And that's what I want to share with you today! Listen in as I share the 5 lessons I learned from my favorite (and least successful) season

Have you ever watched the World Series (college softball of course) and thought, “That player is super-human” Like there’s no way the rest of us or my girls could ever do that. We put players like today’s guest on a pedestal for good reason, because they are amazing competitors! But really? They got there with a specific skill set. Certain tools in their toolbox that allowed them to bounce back faster, stay confident and perform consistently even against the toughest opponents. That skill set is the mental game. I know you know that since you’re listening to this podcast! But do you know what it actually looks like? When you pull back the curtain and see the day to day commitment… the tough times pushing through adversity and that voice in your head telling you you can’t? Today’s guest is going to tell you how she has overcome adversity and worked her mental game to help her become one of the elite pitchers of our time And if you like what she has to say… you’re going to want to check out our upcoming Next Level Bootcamp!  This virtual, 5-day team workshop will give your players the foundation they need to become the confident, mentally tough player you know they can be! To learn more, head to http://mss.com/teambootcamp (mss.com/teambootcamp). Now, let’s get to the show!

Was this the last weekend Alicia had with her team? Or did they pull it out and make it to the next round of playoffs??? Listen in to today's episode to find out!

But wait, there's more! Listen in for some tips on connecting with your athletes & one of the most popular drills Alicia has shared to date!

Part 2/3 here! Find out if that Figure-It-Out moment actually worked.

It's been a hot minute, but we're back & have a treat in store for you! Listen in to today's episode (and then two more!) as we get caught up on how Alicia's team has been doing over the past several weeks. It's a roller-coaster, Coach. Buckle up!

In honor of our fast-approaching Difference-Makers Bootcamp, we wanted to re-share this GEM of an episode with Sue Enquist. Listen in, get inspired, then come learn more from this rockstar in Bootcamp! We kick off this Sunday, April 18th and go all week! Learn more at mentalsweetspot.com/coachbootcamp Oh, and it's not just for softball coaches anymore, so tell your other sport coach friends to come join us!